Improvement in fence-posts



A. B. SPROUT. FENCE-POSTS.

No. 195,851. Patented oct.z.1s77.

INVENTOR qq ra ATTORNEY- N. PETERS. PHOTD-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

Unrr nSrA'rns PATENT Grrrcn.

AMOS B. SPROUT, OF PICTURE ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA.

llVlPROVE'MENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Specific, tion forming part of Letters Patent No. 195,851, dated October 2, 1877; application filed- December 1, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMos B. SPRoU'r, of Picture Books, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable Others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention is in fences; and is designed to produce a fence which shall have its several parts constructed and arranged so as to necessitate a minimum of raw material, and at same time with this economy of stock constitute a light and yet firm and durable fence.

According to my improvement a metallic anchor-block, segmental in form, with its 'pointed end downward, supports the upper vertical strip of the post to which the fencepanels are secured, the anchor, vertical strip, and panels being fastened together by clamps in such a way that the principle of the brace may be employed in enabling the vertical strip.

to resist force applied, as is most usually the case, at right angles to the line of direction of the fence.

The form of both the anchor-block and the vertical strip of the post admits of each being formed in duplicate from a single metallic blank, without waste or trimmings of the stock, which, together with the arrangement of the different parts constituting the fence, allows of the latter being made cheaply and strongly.

Beferringto the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in front elevation, of a part of a fence made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side or edge view of same. Fig. 3 shows how duplicate anchor-blocks and vertical strips can be cut, respectively, from single blanks without waste." of material. Fig. 4 shows the anchor and vertical strip in detail.

The anchor-block A is a segmental flat metallic piece, having its apex or sharpened end projecting downward, and its upper extremity bent over to form a right-angular flange, a, triangular in shape, bracing the upper extremity of the anchor-block, and forming a base-support for the wooden clamp B, which rests upon the center of this triangular flange, and thus receives a broadened bearing sufficient for its lower end.

Two slots are pimched in the longitudinal center of the anchor, respectively, at top and near the opposite part of the block. Through the slots pass the hooked bolts (J, which bind the vertical strip D to the anchor by the nuts cengaging with the screw-tapped extremities of the bolts.

This strip D is a narrow vertical metallic piece, placed so as to have its greater crossdimension at right angles to the flat face of the anchor-block, and while this interior edge of the strip is a straight line, the outer or op posite edge forms a double-reverse inclined plane, having the central summit d intermediate the two planes approximately near the junction of the anchor and the vertical strip. N otches d are incut in the exterior edge ofthe strip, forming seats for the hooked bolts 0, and thus prevent their vertical displacement, as they bind the fence-panels E securely between this strip D and the wooden clamp 13.

These hooked bolts are made similar to the bolts G, and the longitudinal series of rails rest each upon a cleat, G, secured to the illterior face of this wooden clamp B, or, Where suitable, the rails may find bearing on the bolts 0, as is shown by the top and bottom rails in the drawing.

These cleats are of less cross-diameter than the rails they support, so that the tension of the screw-threaded bolts in drawing together the strip D and clamp B may be applied entirely upon the intermediate rails, and securely retain them in position.

In the manufacture of the anchor-block and the vertical supporting-strip, Fig. 3 of the drawing shows the manner of cutting each from their respective blanks so as to prevent waste of stock.

I preferablyuse blanksfor the anchors about two feet long by eight inches broad and one eighth of an inch in thickness, while for the vertical strips a plate of the same thickness, but of square dimension, five feet two by three inches, is used. These vertical strips and anchor-blocks are then formed to the shapes shown in Fig. 4, and after they are secured together by the hook-bolts or staple-rivets a coat of coal-tar or mineral asphaltum is given the same, and the post is driven into the ground; the wooden clamp is placed loosely in position, and the two contiguous panels of the fence are introduced between the clamp and the vertical strip, with a suflicient lap to securely hold the two panels in place and constitute a good connecting-joint. The hook-bolts C are then tightly drawn together, and the wooden clamp and the vertical strip, and secure the same in proper relative position with the intermediate connecting-panels of the fence.

If a very light fence is to be made, I may dispense with the triangular flange a on the anchor-block supporting the clamp B, and leave the latter to be vertically sustained by the metaiiic strip 3), while if greater width of vertical strip D is required for hanging gates thereto, or for attachment of wire paling or iron tubing, the inclines on the outer edge of the ship may be omitted, and the strip formed A without tapering.

Having fully described my invention, what i I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, with the anchor-block having a sharpened driving and enlarged supporting extremity, of the metallic notched strip for supporting the fence-panel, said strip formed with a double reverse inclined side opposite to theside joiningwiththe anchor-piece, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the segmental anchor-block having the upper triangular support and the lower driving-point, of the tapering notched strip and parallel wooden clamp, the two latter supporting and securing together the fence-panels byhook'bolts or staplerivets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of November, 1876 T. W, Lrrrnn, J. V. Rnnnnnn 

